has both served to rectify, still more highly, their conscience and moral principles, and to repress any disposition to a self-righteous arrogance toward persons less favoured in point of religious confidence. Whereas, some such persons as we are referring to, betray that their assurance, which takes its stand on so lofty a position, independent of a faithful estimate of the heart and life, has an unsanctifying effect; it slackens and narrows the force and compass of the jurisdiction of conscience; and, especially, cherishes in them the spirit of our text. They can look with pride, not with pious gratitude, from a high and privileged condition, on those who are suffering doubts and solicitude respecting their state toward God and a future would.

We may name, lastly, as one of the things made a ground of pretension and pride, the experience of elated, ardent, enthusiastic feelings, in some semblance of connexion with religion, but not really of its genuine inspiration. It is a noble advantage for religion, and for its living subject, when it lights upon a mind of great excitability, and vigorous passions, provided there also be a solid strength of reason. And even though there be not strong reason, in this mind of strong passions, when it is a genuine, and therefore a sanctifying, influence of religion that acts upon it, the effects may be most happy, sometimes most admirable. So salutary, so true to its heavenly origin, is the influence of real piety, that it does in a measure supply the place and the want of strong reason. It puts the feelings which it actuates in coincidence with correct reason,-even without the standard being distinctly recognized. The passions may, so to speak, be trusted with it, when they could not with any other guardian or tutelar genius; even more safely than with that same reason itself alone. (As if a band of agents were put under the direction of an angel instead of a philosopher). But, unhappily, there are many

instances in which the passions are excited to ardour and vehemence, in some sort of relation to the truth of religion, but not under its genuine operation. The passions were, so to speak, waiting in readiness for some stimulus, for any stimulus, for any match to set them on fire. The grand ideas and images of religion have in them something naturally adapted to produce great excitement. Those ideas have, perhaps, also been presented to the mind under very particular circumstances and associations, fitted to strike and inflame. And so, there has been caused a natural, a sort of rudely poetical excitement of the fancy and passions, in connexion with religious ideas, but not under the real sanctifying influence of religion. The want of this holy principle has been betrayed, by an utter dereliction, and rout, and expulsion of sound notions, the while;-by, perhaps, a most grotesque mixture of low and ludicrous fancies;-by a promptitude of these inflamed passions to turn suddenly to some mischief;-and in the result, by the predominance of the spirit of our text; that is, a proud contempt in self-comparison with persons of a slow, and grave, and thoughtful, and humble temperament in religion. The proper rebuke to such deluded minds, whenever they may be cool enough to listen to it, is,-" You may be sure that is not a truly pious ardour, which does not result in humility towards God,-in charity towards your brethren, and in a fitness and disposition to prosecute the steady labours and duties of Christian life; in other words, which does not make you the better practical Christian."

We close here. It was intended to enforce a few of the general considerations corrective of the delusion and the vice described. But they could be only such as will suggest themselves to every thoughtful mind. For example; a consideration of the holiness of God, and the depth and breadth of his law;-the necessity of a deep knowledge of

144 FALSE GROUNDS OF SUPERIORITY IN RELIGION.

the heart, and its corruption;-of the grand purpose and end of religion;-the special and peculiar adaptation of the plan of redemption by Jesus Christ to abase men in their own view;-of the manner in which true "holiness" has evinced and displayed itself in the most eminent human examples of it; and, finally, the effect which the last judgment will have, reflectively, on all men's previous estimates of themselves, and comparisons with one another.

September 11, 1822.

LECTURE XIV.

FALLACIES OPERATING AGAINST EARNESTNESS IN RELIGION.

REVELATION iii. 5.

"I would thou wert cold or hot."

THESE words, you are aware, occur in the austere and warning address to the church at Laodicea. The sentence which comes after is equally well remembered. "Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth;" which may suggest this observation, that the Supreme Teacher did not, in the sacred scriptures, subject himself to consult any niceties of literary refinement. The Bible shows numerous instances of metaphors and illustrations, of a character very homely, unpolished, and sometimes even repulsive. If we should say, (which is true), that in part this was a mere conformity to the manner of the ages and places in which the divine oracles were uttered,—it would still not the less be true,— that it was not for the Divine Dictator of truth and law to recognize the claim of any artificial order of human feelings and modes; or any rules but that of plain truth. And this because God was to speak to man in his own absolute character of Creator and Sovereign Dictator;—and to man in man's permanent substantial character of creature and subject, with an understanding and a conscience to be spoken to;—and this was a relation superior to all artificial rules of men's communications with one another. God, therefore, would speak to man directly as a creature standing before HIM, and not as if he were regarding man as a creature

placed in refined society, and to be addressed in a language modified according to its rules; and as if he were considerate of the creature's dignity and taste. Some of the more trivial of the infidel tribe have attempted, on this account, to detract from the venerableness and sanctity of the Bible, talking about its dealing in coarse language and images. As well might the vain spirits in the prophets' times have affected to be shocked that Elijah would not put on a court dress when he had to appear in the name of the Almighty before kings, and queens, and princes; or that John the Baptist came in so coarse a garb to preach repentance, and announce the kingdom of God. Yet after all this, it is a perfectly obvious fact, that the scriptures do abound with every kind of beauty and sublimity in sentiments, images, and language. As in the case of Elijah, there was his rough mantle, but also the chariot and horses of fire. But then it is most remarkably characteristic of the sacred writings, that these beauties seem to come with no manner of design to please the taste and fancy; they appear as most simply spontaneous from the subject.

But to revert to our text: "I would thou wert cold or hot." This is a condemnation of carelessness and indifference. The terms should not exactly imply an entire absence of every feeling excited by the religion of which they had taken the name. But then would it have been better than having so little, to have had absolutely none? In two respects it would. There would have been less of the means of self-deception. ("Thou sayest I am rich and increased. in goods, and have need of nothing.") And all semblance and pretension to Christianity being abjured, there would have been less injury done to it in the opinions and feelings of the irreligious world.

But without wishing to adjust any special question, we may take the expression simply as a most impressive and